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Welfare effects of alternative pension reforms: Assessing the transition costs for French socio-occupational groups

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2005

P. Y. HENIN
Affiliation:
CEPREMAP and EUREQua, University Paris I
Th. WEITZENBLUM
Affiliation:
EURIsCO, University Paris Dauphine and CEPREMAP

Abstract

In this paper, we assess the welfare costs and gains of different scenarios of pension reforms in France, using a life-cycle model including various sources of heterogeneity and distinguishing between socio-occupational groups. The pension reforms considered combine features regarding the generosity of the pension system as well as features regarding the financing schemes: PAYG, the build-up of a temporary fund and that of a permanent one. We focus on both macro and distributional issues. It appears that (i) a considerable increase in savings is to be expected, even in the case where pensions remain generous, (ii) a considerable crowding-out effect would occur in the case of the constitution of a fund trust, (iii) reducing the generosity of pension seems relatively more beneficial to low-income low-life expectancy agents, while (iv) postponing the legal retirement age benefits relatively more high-income high-life expectancy agents.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2005 Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

This paper originates from a research supported by the 'Commissariat Général du Plan', as part of the research program of the CEPREMAP. Results and opinions in this paper are their authors' own.
We thank Catherine Bac, François Langot and Thepthida Sopraseuth for their help and comments on ealier versions. We are also grateful to Lasmas-Centre Quetelet for supplying the Enquete Patrimoine 1998.